Troubleshooting Help

[metros]

Hello All,
Looking for some expertise in troubleshooting. I've finally gotten plates on my 818 and have been driving it a chunk of miles each day this weekend. Everything was going beautifully, until it wasn't. Two separate days I drove three trips in all types of driving (backroads, highway, stop and go, etc.) without any issues. The alignment was on point, temps remained well within limits, and no odd noises or symptoms to note of any issues.

This morning I decided to take my son out for a drive around some back roads. We stopped and filled up on gas then went to leave and I noticed it was more difficult to feather the clutch for a smooth start. It was also noisy in engaging first gear. I'm listening and wondering what the issue is while slowly driving down a side street. Sounded like a large gush of air intake but I was hardly giving any throttle. I stop at a school parking lot thinking maybe a hose popped free. I don't find anything out of place and button everything back together. Pull back out onto the street and slowly putting down the street in 2nd gear. Still feels like its lurching a bit. Out of nowhere the rear wheels lock up - no brake application at all. Put it back in first and get it back into the school parking lot (wheels are rolling). Again check everything out without any findings. I anticipated finding a linkage that had come free or interfered with something, but everything was in place as it should be.

Pull back out on to the street and initially it seems ok again. I noticed when the engine is lugging slightly it seems more problematic (45mph in 5th gear). Again first gear seems to be the worst. It's also now making a high pitched squeal when moving in first gear.

The engine is running smoothly at idle and revs freely without anything being symptomatic.

Potentials:
-Clutch needs to be bled, maybe it's not fully disengaging which is causing the issues starting from a stop.
-Timing pulley is locked up or bearing is shot? The noise would seem to go along with a pulley issue and would explain how the noise coincides with gas input.
-Transmission issues?

I'm at a loss here, nothing specific to point at looking further into.

[metros]

Additional information - Jacked the rear end up and can freely move the wheels when in neutral. Put it in first gear and hear an awful noise coming from the transmission. Video below. Thoughts?

Link here https://i.imgur.com/Y2wJZrG.mp4

Any other items to check prior to pulling the transmission? Think this rules out any pulleys or clutch line bleeding. Does that look like anything other than trauma? That's all I can think of.

[Hindsight]

Hate to say it but sounds like a busted transmission. Before pulling it, try draining the oil and see if any chunks come out. Also, the axles are known to snap - I doubt that's the case here since it would most likely take place during a hard launch, but when you remove the axles to R&R the trans, just inspect the axles and CV joints and ensure nothing is broken in there.

[metros]

Well sometimes it sucks to be right. Here is the carnage from draining the trans fluid. I'm not a transmission expert but I don't think all the shards of metal are supposed to be in there.



Good news is the transmission is already pulled. Took about 3.5 hours, mostly just removing things to make pulling it out easier for one person.



Going to need to get it to Andrewtech.

[Hindsight]

The most common failure I see on these is on the R&P. I don't know if it's the R&P failing on its own, or if something else is breaking and getting a chunk of metal caught between the R&P gears which then busts that. I would guess either first gear, and/or the R&P.

What year transmission is this?

[metros]

It was between 02 and 05 transmission. Given that it locked the rear wheels up at 20mph, I'm going to assume there is definitely gear damage but hope there are salvageable gears.

[Hindsight]

Those are the most fragile years - I've heard 02 specifically is the worst. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you, but consider picking up an 06-07 one. Best place to search is the national wrecking yard database: www.car-part.com. LOVE that site.

[metros]

Finally got to drop my trans off with Andrew. He was able to complete an initial tear down. He thinks the support bearing at the back of the output shaft is what failed and unfortunately spread metal throughout the box. He's going to need to press things apart to get a true close inspection of the gears state. Hoping at least some of the gears are salvageable. It had ppg helical gears 1-4. I'll post the internal pics when I can.

[metros]

IMG_6448.jpg

IMG_6449.jpg

[Hobby Racer]

It had ppg helical gears 1-4. I'll post the internal pics when I can.

Ouch! a mangled PPG box. I feel your pain.

[STiPWRD]

That does look like the bearing on the back of the output shaft went out. Gears look ok tho - hopefully it's as simple as replacing the bearing. I had them replace all the bearings on my input shaft cuz some of them had gone bad.

[metros]

I have zoomed those pictures and tried to look at all of the gears to see if I could notice any damage. I think I see some damage in the second picture top left corner. But still anxiously waiting to hear anything.

[JAubin]

Exact same failure happened to me, minutes after I got off the highway (very lucky!). I'm running a LSD and it locked both wheels and wouldn't move at all. My only theory was that the oil level was a bit low and the bearing overheated, but
maybe something else caused it? Was also an '02 trans...changed it do a JDM FXT Trans to replace it.
20181004_134244.jpg